Self-chalker for billiard-cues.



No. 690,@22. Patented Use. 3l, |90?.

J. EsKEnsloN. SELF CHALKER FOR BILLIARD GUES.

(Annlcatin led Oct. 4. 1 900.)

-(llo Model.)

IM VE N TQH- UNTTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN FSKERSON, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

SELF-CHALKER FOR BILLIARD-CUES.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,022, dated December 3l, 1901.

Application filed October 4, 1900. Serial No. 31,971. (No model.)

To all whom t 77mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ESKESON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have inventeda new and useful Self-Ohalker for Billiard- Cues, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to self-chalkers for billiard-cues; and myobjects are, first, to produce adevice for attachment to a door, wall, or table whereby the player can thoroughly chalk his cue without handling the chalk; secondly, whereby the chalking operation can be performed more quickly than by hand and with greater convenience to the player; thirdly, which economizes in the use of chalk, and, lastly, which is of simple, strong, durable, and compact construction and of ornamental appearance.

With these objects in view the :invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood I will proceed to describeit with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a billiard-cue chalker embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a slightly-modified form of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the chalk-box. Fig.- 4 is a vertical section showing the chalk-box of cylindrical form.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates a tube or cylinder having its lower end closed by a screw-cap 2, which in some instances, as shown in Fig. 1, will be formed integral with the base 3, through which securing devices, such as screws, (not shown,) will extend to secure. the device rigidly upon the floor, the wall, or the table. In some cases it may be preferable to have a base 4 at the side of cylinder 1, as shown in Fig. 2.

5 designates a long nut secured in the opposite end of the tube, the nut being long in order to give an extended and firm bearing to the threaded stem G, arranged to reciprocate through and revolve therein, the latter of course being internally threaded to correspond to the external threads of the stem.

7 designates a plate secured to the inner end of the stem by a securing-bolt 8, and

adapted by engagement with the inner end of the nut to limit the outward reciprocation of the stem, and bearing at its opposite ends against said plate and the cap 2 is an expansive spiral spring 9,which is compressed as the stem is forced inward, and when the pressureis removed forces the stem outward again to its original position, the stem rotating;r in one direction as it is forced inward and in the reverse direction as it is forced outward.

Located at the outer end of the stem is a chalk-box 10. In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 said box is shown as of rectangular form and provided with a boss 11, which is screwed or otherwise secured upon the stem. Three sides of the box are crimped inward at their front or outer edges, as at 12. The fourth side is in the form of a sliding panel 13, which slides in grooves 14, formed in the adjacent sides of the box. rlhis slide may operate with suffi cient friction in said grooves to hold it normally in place, or it may be formed with a spring bevel-end tongue l5 to automatically engage and underlie the bottom of the box. By springing the tongue back and sliding the panel outward the chalk can be readily introduced into the box. The panel is then slid back to position and the device is ready for work, the crimped edges l2 preventing accidental dislodgment of the chalk.

Where circular boxes, as at 10, are employed to contain chalk of corresponding form, I preferably have the upper edge crimped, as at 12a, and have the bottom 12b suitably secured to the stem and screwed to the body portion in order that the latter may be removed from the bottom and the chalk inserted through its lower end.

In practice, assuming that the device is secured to a suitable support and is in proper working order, as shown in Fig. 1, all that the player need do to chalk his cue is to place its cushioned end against the chalk in line with stem 6 and push against the same with sufficient force to compress spring 9. In accomplishing this action the frictional rotation of the chalk against the endlof his cue chalks the latter as thoroughly as it can be done by hand, and as the cue is withdrawn the spring forces the stem outward again, and it is ready for a second operation.

It will be noticed that this device by con- IOO broken in the hands of the player or dropping upon the lioor and crushed effects a considerable saving in the course of a year and incidentally lessens in a large measure the work of those employed to keep the establishment clean. It also. prevents the player from getting his apparel full of chalk by contact with his hands and by rubbing against the cue held by hands covered with chalk. Furthermore, it Will also be apparent that it possesses the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention and that While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is susceptible of various minor changes Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A chalk-holder consisting of a substantially cube-shaped box open at its top and closed at its bottom and on three sides, the edges of said sides having grooves, and a fourth side removably inserted in said grooves and having a spring-tongue at its inner end engaging the edge of. the bottom.

2. A chalk-holder consisting of a substantially cube-shaped box open at its top and closed at its bottom and on three sides, the edges of said sides having grooves, and a fourth side removably inserted in said grooves and having a spring-tongue at its inner end engaging the edge of the bottom, the three fixed sides having their front edges crimped or bent inward so as to extend slightly over the face of the chalk when in place.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 4in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN ESKERSON.

WVitnesses: v Y

HELLEN C. RoDGERs,

G. Y. THORPE. 

